Supporting Family Resiliency through Relationships with Animals Part 3: Supporting Children with Therapy Animals: Human-Animal Interactions for Children Survivors of Domestic Violence and Child Maltreatment

Part 3: Supporting Children with Therapy Animals: Human-Animal Interactions for Children Survivors of Domestic Violence and Child Maltreatment 

This webinar is third in a three-part series. To learn more about Supporting Family Resiliency through Relationships with Animals and register for Parts 1 and 2, please click here.

Wednesday, June 2nd, 12-1:30pm PST / 3-4:30pm EST

This dialogue will be recorded and closed-captioned. The slides, recording and transcript will be posted here. 

Click here to view the webinar slides (PDF) from Sheltering Animals & Families Together (SAF-T)®

Click here to view the webinar slides (PDF) from Florida Courthouse Therapy Dogs

Click here to view the closed-captioning Zoom webinar recording

Click here to download the closed-captioning transcript (Word)

Description: 

In Part 3 of this webinar series, the presenter will explore incorporating therapy animals as greeters at child advocacy centers, police stations, prosecutor’s offices, and courthouses. Additionally, the presenter will also engage attendees around the use of therapy animals during forensic interviews, medical/SANE examination, group/individual therapy, court preparation, and during courtroom testimony. 

Part 3 Learning Objectives:

Participants will:

• Understanding the benefits and challenges of incorporating therapy animals with child survivors, including the difference between therapy animals, service animals, and assistance animals. 
• Understanding the dos and don’ts of placing therapy animals as greeters, forensic interviews, medical examinations, therapy, court preparation and courtroom testimony. 
• Understanding potential legal objections to incorporating therapy animals with child survivors 

Presenters:

• Allie Phillips, Animal Protection & Human-Animal Interaction Attorney Founder & CEO, Sheltering Animals & Families Together (SAF-T)®, (Lansing, MI)  
• Stephanie Perkins, Director of Animal Therapy at Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare, Inc., Co-founder of Florida Courthouse Therapy Dogs, (Tallahassee, Florida)

Facilitator:

• Wendy Mota, Program Manager, Children & Youth Program, Futures Without Violence

Resources:

• Click here to download Therapy Animals Supporting Kids (TASK) Program Manual- Sheltering Animals & Families Together (SAF-T)®

Questions? Accessibility Needs? Please contact Anima Shrestha at ashrestha@futureswithoutviolence.org. 

These webinars are supported by Grant Number 90EV0434 from the Administration on Children, Youth and Families, Family and Youth Services Bureau, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Points expressed in this webinar series are those of the presenters and do not necessarily reflect the official positions or policies of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.